UT Tyler women notch first-ever ASC Tourney win; Men fall in 3 OT

BROWNWOOD — The UT Tyler women’s basketball team made history on Friday, winning their first postseason game.

Brittany King hit for 34 points as the Patriots scored a 70-54 win over defending league champion Concordia-Texas in the American Southwest Conference Tournament at Brownwood Coliseum on the Howard Payne University campus.

The Patriots (18-8), the No. 3 seed from the ASC East, will play ASC No. 1 seed Louisiana College (23-3) in the semifinals at 2 p.m. today. The other semifinal has UT Dallas meeting host Howard Payne at 4:30 p.m.

The semifinal winners will play in the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday. The ASC champion earns a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

King had a double-double as she also had 14 rebounds, including nine offensive. She was the only Patriot in double figures.

After taking a 29-24 halftime lead, the Patriots gradually pulled away. King fueled an 11-0 run midway through the second half.

Paige Parish, a former UT Tyler player, led the Tornados (17-9) with 16 points.

UT Tyler’s Teylor Seals added nine points and four steals, while teammate Taylor Murphy dished out five assists. Breann McMillan had four steals and seven rebounds.

First-year coach Kevin Baker has led the Patriots to a school record 18 wins.

This was the third appearance for the Patriots in the ASC Tournament as they lost their previous two games.

UT Tyler Men fall to Hardin-Simmons 104-101 in triple-overtime heartbreaker

RICHARDSON — UT Tyler came close to winning its first-ever postseason basketball game on Friday at The University of Dallas Activity Center.

However, Hardin-Simmons eased past the Patriots, 104-101, in triple overtime in an American Southwest Conference quarterfinal game.

After a raucous first half that saw six lead changes, UT Tyler’s Tyler Hysell gave the Patriots a 73-71 lead with just 55 seconds to play.

With 44 seconds remaining Hysell stole the ball, giving the Patriots a chance to salt away the win. However, Tre Potter missed a jumper with 13 seconds remaining. With four seconds remaining, the Cowboys’ Eric Taylor missed a jumper, but Andy Spears rebounded and his putback was good with one second showing, forcing overtime at 73-73.

In the first extra frame, the Cowboys were able to go up by two on a free throw by Taylor with 13 seconds showing, but again, Hysell was the man of the moment, knocking down a jumper with seven seconds remaining, forcing the game to a second overtime tied at 81-81.

Joe Stephens, who finished the game with a team-high 22 points, played the role of hero in the second extra frame.

After the Patriots were down by as many as eight points, Stephens hit a clutch three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining, tying the score at 92-92.

HSU took possession, but John Derr was unable to convert on a jumper, forcing the game to the third and final overtime period.

With 2:49 left to play the teams tied for the 10th time on the night, but Hardin-Simmons was able to go on a run, taking a 100-96 lead with just 1:29 left.

Stephens made a layup to cut the score to 102-101, but the Cowboys’ Derr was able to convert on two free throws, giving HSU the 104-101 lead with 20 seconds showing.

In the last possession, Stephens, who had the hot hand, could not convert on the desperation three-pointer, giving Hardin-Simmons the win.

Six Patriots scored in double-digits on the day, including Darren Houliston who finished his UT Tyler career with a near record-breaking performance, hauling in 19 rebounds, one shy of the school-record, to go with 17 points.

Spears led the Cowboys with 28 points and 14 rebounds, while Derr had 22 points and 12 boards.

The Patriots end their record-setting season at 18-8, the most wins in program history.

Hardin-Simmons (16-10) advances to the semifinals where the Cowboys will play Mary Hardin-Baylor (22-4) at 2 p.m. today. The other semifinal has UT Dallas (20-6) playing Concordia Texas (21-5) at 4:30 p.m.

The semifinal winners will play in the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday.